Method for assembling photo film cassette

ABSTRACT

A cassette (110), to be loaded with a photo film strip, has a photo film passageway (119) through which a leader (123) of the photo film strip (23, 111) is drawn out of a cassette shell. On a spool (112) is retained a trailer (124) of the photo film strip. A loader apparatus has a light-tight dark compartment (147). A rotary barrel (163) is rotatable, and partially fitted in an opening formed in a downstream wall of the dark compartment. Two cassette holders (164, 165) are disposed on the barrel and in respective positions opposite about a rotational axis (163a) of the barrel, and hold the cassette removably. The barrel is rotated to move the cassette holders into and out of the dark compartment. The cassette is supplied to one of the cassette holders located outside the dark compartment. The trailer of the photo film strip is passed into the photo film passageway in the cassette in one of the cassette holders located inside the dark compartment. The trailer is retained on the spool as passed into the photo film passageway. The spool of the cassette is rotated in the dark compartment after retaining the trailer, for winding the photo film strip on the spool, to include the photo film strip into the cassette.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus forassembling a photo film cassette. More particularly, the presentinvention relates to a method and an apparatus for assembling a photofilm cassette with increased productivity.

2. Description of the Related Art

There is a known photo film cassette as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos.4,834,306 and 4,846,418 and a commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,271,577(corresponding to JP-A 3-37645), in which a cassette shell is moldedfrom resin, and in which rotation of a spool causes a leader of a photofilm strip to advance to an outside of the cassette shell (hereinafterreferred to as leader-advancing cassette). Unlike the most available,earlier type of photo film cassette, the leader of the leader-advancingcassette is fully contained in the cassette both before and afterexposure of the photo film strip. It is thus possible to increase thelight-tightness of the cassette for protection of the photo film strip,and to facilitate handling of the cassette.

There is a commonly assigned co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No.08/091,626 (corresponding to EP 0 582 852 A1, and JP-A 6-35123)disclosing a cassette assembling apparatus. Cassettes with a spool areprepared in a bright room, and set in the assembling apparatus one afteranother. A guide plate of a tongue shape is inserted into a filmpassageway of the cassette. A trailer of a photo film strip is slid incontact with the guide plate, inserted into the cassette, and retainedon the spool. Then the spool is rotated to wind the photo film into thecassette.

In this assembling apparatus, only one cassette can be set at one time.This is unsuitable for mass production of photo film cassettes.

There is a known system for producing a photo film cassette: a photofilm is cut to have a predetermined length and is wound on a spool, andloaded with a photo film cassette. The cassette producing systemincludes a cutting apparatus and a loader apparatus. The cuttingapparatus produces the photo film strip at the length associated withthe available maximum number of frames. The loader apparatus retains thephoto film strip on the spool, and rotates the spool for the loading ofthe photo film strip. There is a prior document JP-A 4-80161 disclosingdelivery of photo film strips toward a number of loader apparatuses: onecutting apparatus is followed by the plural loader apparatuses, andassociated with a delivering mechanism, through which the photo filmstrips are delivered for positions of the receipt at the loaderapparatuses, to make effective use of performance of the cuttingapparatus and with suitability to a supply speed of photo film strips.

In such manufacturing systems, photo film strips are delivered by achangeover gate toward two loader apparatuses for loading the cassettewith the photo film strips. One of the loader apparatuses winds a photofilm strip around a spool, while the other loader apparatus receivesanother photo film strip to stand by for the loading to increaseefficiency in manufacturing photo film cassettes.

In this cassette producing system, there is a considerable distancebetween the changeover gate and an entrance of a transport path of theloader apparatuses. The photo film strip passing the section having thisdistance is not sufficiently regulated in orientation and position.There is a problem in that a curling tendency of the photo film stripmay hinder the photo film strip from being received by any of thetransport paths of the loader apparatus. It is also likely that a photofilm strip may be accidentally bent due to a delivering angle duringconveyance. Friction to the photo film strip during the conveyance maycreate scratches on it.

To drive a gate for changing over, it can be conceived to use an aircylinder or cam, with which, however, it is impossible at high speed todeliver photo film strips toward positions as desired. The low speed ofsuch conventional drive structures for changing over results in lowefficiency in manufacturing photo film cassettes. Only limited positionsfor receiving the delivery can be determined when the air cylinder orcam is used. It is extremely difficult to increase the number of theloader apparatuses to be set up, in other words, the number of thepositions for receiving delivery. These obstacles reduce theproductivity of manufacturing photo film cassettes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing problems, an object of the present invention isto provide a method and apparatus for assembling a photo film cassettewith high efficiency.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method andapparatus for delivering photo film strips at a high speed, in positionsas desired for plural loading stations, and without damage.

In order to achieve the above and other objects and advantages of thisinvention, a photo film loader apparatus for loading a cassette with aphoto film strip comprises a light-tight dark compartment. A rotarybarrel device is disposed in rotatable fashion and partially fitted inan opening formed in a downstream wall of the dark compartment. Aplurality of cassette holders are disposed on the barrel device inrespective positions opposite with reference to a rotational axis of thebarrel device, for holding the cassette removably, the barrel device isrotated to move the cassette holders into and out of the darkcompartment. A cassette supply device is disposed outside the darkcompartment, for supplying the cassette to one of the cassette holderslocated outside the dark compartment. A photo film retaining device isdisposed inside the dark compartment, for accessing the cassette at oneof the cassette holders located inside the dark compartment, in order topass the trailer of the photo film strip into the photo film passagewayin the cassette, and to retain the trailer on the spool. A spoolrotating device is disposed in the dark compartment, for rotating thespool of the cassette, and is driven after the photo film retainingdevice finishes the retention, for winding the photo film strip on thespool with the trailer retained. The cassette with the photo film stripwound therein is removed from the cassette holder when moved out of thedark compartment by rotation of the barrel device.

There are a plurality of the barrel devices. The photo film strips aretransported one after another. A plurality of transport paths guide thephoto film strip respectively to the plurality of the barrel devices,the transport paths having entry slots disposed radially. A rotary diskis disposed between the supply path and the transport paths and isrotatable about a central axis, the central axis being perpendicular toa longitudinal direction of the photo film strip and parallel to a planeof the photo film strip. A stationary guide plate is disposed betweenthe supply path and the central axis of the rotary disk, and a firstpath is formed in the guide plate at a size associated with a thicknessof the photo film strip, for guiding the photo film strip from thesupply path toward the central axis of the rotary disk. A delivery guidedevice is mounted on the rotary disk, positioned between the centralaxis of the rotary disk and the transport paths, and a second path isformed in the delivering guide device at a size associated with athickness of the photo film strip, for receiving the photo film stripfrom the stationary guide plate in a vicinity of the central axis, toguide the photo film strip in a radial direction of the rotary disk. Amotor rotates the rotary disk, and the rotary disk is stoppedsequentially to direct an exit slot of the delivery guide device towardthe entry slots of the transport paths so that the photo film strip istransported through the delivery guide device into a selected one of thetransport paths.

Further, a cutter device is disposed upstream from the barrel device,for cutting a continuous photo film into the photo film strips of aregular length. A light-shielding structure prevents ambient light fromentering the dark compartment through the opening downstream therefrom,a part of the light-shielding structure provided on the barrel device.The photo film retaining device includes an insert plate for capturingthe trailer of the photo film strip cut at a regular length. The insertplate is drawn out of the cassette after the insert plate passes thetrailer through the photo film passageway and retains the trailer on thespool.

Furthermore, the first linear path device has a first path. The firstpath device is supplied with the photo film strip. A second linear pathdevice has a second path. The second path device is connected downstreamof the first path device at a sloping connecting portion, for guidingthe photo film strip from the first path device toward the barreldevice. A nipping roller is disposed at the sloping connecting portion,for conveying the photo film strip along the first and second pathdevices to the barrel device.

A shiftable roller is disposed in the dark compartment in rotatable andshiftable fashion, and contacted on the photo film strip directed to thephoto film passageway of the cassette held in one of the cassetteholders. A shifting device supports the shiftable roller, and is drivenwith the spool rotating device, for shifting the shiftable roller whilethe photo film strip is wound around the spool, to change a course ofthe photo film strip in accordance with a diameter of a roll of thephoto film strip around the spool, for avoiding rubbing the photo filmstrip on the cassette shell.

The cassette has a structure for advancing the leader of the photo filmstrip to an outside of the photo film passageway when the spool isrotated in a direction of unwinding the photo film strip. After thephoto film strip is wound in the cassette, the spool rotating devicerotates the spool in the unwinding direction to protrude a small portionof the leader from the photo film passageway, and subsequently rotatesthe spool in a winding direction to include the leader in the cassette.A measuring device measures torque applied by the spool rotating deviceto the spool for rotation, while the spool rotating device protrudes theleader from the photo film passageway, and while the spool rotatingdevice subsequently includes the leader in the cassette.

The cassette further includes an identifying information portiondisposed on an outside the cassette shell and formed to representidentifying information of the cassette shell. An information reader forreading the identifying information of the cassette is disposed in thecassette holder. An information recorder is connected to the informationreader, for imprinting an information image of a latent image form onthe photo film strip in accordance with the identifying information fromthe information reader.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above objects and advantages of the present invention will becomemore apparent from the following detailed description when read inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a photo filmcassette;

FIG. 2 is a cross section illustrating a core of a spool of thecassette;

FIG. 3 is a front elevation illustrating the core of the spool;

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view illustrating a trailer of a photo filmstrip;

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view illustrating the photo film strip;

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view schematically illustrating a system forproducing the photo film cassette;

FIG. 7 is a cross section illustrating an apparatus for delivering thephoto film strip;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating the photo film deliveringapparatus;

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the delivery guidedevice;

FIG. 10 is a cross section, taken on Line X--X of FIG. 7, illustratingthe delivery guide device;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged view illustrating the delivery guide device;

FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a stationary guidedevice;

FIG. 13 is an explanatory view illustrating a relationship of driving aguide roller set and a transport roller set;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view illustrating a transport path;

FIG. 15 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a photo filmcassette used in another preferred system for producing the photo filmcassette;

FIG. 16 is an explanatory view illustrating a photo film strip;

FIG. 17 is an explanatory view schematically illustrating the cassetteproducing system;

FIG. 18 is an explanatory view illustrating a combination of a deliverysection, and three photo film loader apparatuses;

FIG. 19 is a cross section illustrating a transport path;

FIG. 20 is an explanatory view schematically illustrating a shuttermechanism;

FIG. 21 is an explanatory view illustrating a drive roller set;

FIG. 22 is a perspective view illustrating the cassette holder;

FIG. 23 is a vertical section illustrating the cassette holder;

FIG. 24 is a cross section illustrating the cassette holder;

FIG. 25 is an explanatory view schematically illustrating a photo filmloader apparatus;

FIG. 26 is a perspective view illustrating the photo film loaderapparatus;

FIG. 27 is a side elevation illustrating an insert plate;

FIG. 28 is a front elevation illustrating the insert plate;

FIG. 29 is an explanatory view schematically illustrating a drivemechanism for a fork;

FIG. 30 is a flow chart illustrating operation of the loader apparatus;

FIG. 31 is an explanatory view illustrating detection of a trailer ofthe photo film strip;

FIG. 32 is an explanatory view illustrating an inserting position ofretaining claws;

FIG. 33 is an explanatory view illustrating insertion of the retainingclaws into the spool;

FIG. 34 is an explanatory view illustrating a start position of asupport roller for the trailer;

FIG. 35 is an explanatory view illustrating the same in enlargement;

FIG. 36 is an explanatory view illustrating a nipping position of a backtension roller;

FIG. 37 is an explanatory view illustrating a shift of a support rollerin accordance with a roll diameter;

FIG. 38 is an explanatory view illustrating another preferred mechanismfor shifting a support roller in accordance with a roll diameter; and

FIG. 39 is an explanatory view illustrating a preferred embodiment inwhich a cassette is shifted in accordance with a roll diameter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S) OF THE PRESENTINVENTION

FIG. 1 illustrates a photo film cassette to be assembled by an apparatusof a preferred embodiment. A cassette shell 2 is constituted by an uppershell half 3, a lower shell half 4, and a spool 5, respectively moldedas single pieces of plastics. Inner walls of the shell halves 3 and 4have a pair of ridges 6. When a photo film strip 23 (See FIG. 4) iswound about the spool 5 and contained between the shell halves 3 and 4,the ridges 6 contact the periphery of the roll of the photo film strip23 to prevent it from loosening around the spool 5. Accordingly, whenthe spool 5 is rotated in an unwinding direction, namelycounterclockwise as viewed in the drawing, the roll of the photo filmstrip 23 is rotated with the spool. A reference numeral 7 designates aseparator claw, which, during rotation of the photo film strip 23, abutson a leading end of the photo film strip 23, and separates it from theroll, so as to guide a leader of the photo film strip 23 to an exteriorof the cassette shell 2.

The shell halves 3 and 4 have tongue portions 3a and 4a, which, when theshell halves 3 and 4 are fitted together, the tongue portions 3a and 4aare joined to define a photo film passageway 10. A shutter plate 11 isincorporated between the tongue portions 3a and 4a. Ends of the shutterplate 11 have shaft portions 11a, which render the shutter plate 11rotatable in parallel with the spool 5. One of the ends of the shutterplate 11 has a key 12, which appears externally through a surface of thecassette shell 2. When an opener member 13 is fitted on the key 12 androtates it, the shutter plate 11 is rotationally changed between an openposition where the photo film passageway 10 is open and a closedposition where the photo film passageway 10 is closed.

The spool 5 has a pair of flanges 5a formed integrally therewith. Thephoto film strip 23 is wound on a core 5b of the spool 5 between theflanges 5a. Ends of the spool 5 appear through the faces of the cassetteshell 2, and respectively have a key 15. The key 15 is adapted toengagement with a member in an apparatus for driving the spool 5 to berotated. An end of the key 15 has a notch 15a.

A slot 17 is formed in the core 5b of the spool 5. The inside of theslot 17 has a pair of hooks 18 and a pair of ridges 19, as illustratedin FIGS. 2 and 3. The ridges 19 are projected downward between the hooks18. The slot 17 has an entrance for insertion in the right as viewed inFIG. 2. A trailer 27 of the photo film strip 23 is inserted into theentrance.

In the trailer 27 of the photo film strip 23 are formed a pair ofretaining holes 21 as illustrated in FIG. 4. The hooks 18 are engagedwith the retaining holes 21. The ridges 19 prevent the trailer 27 of thephoto film strip 23 from disengaging from the hooks 18. The photo filmstrip 23 is never disengaged accidentally from the slot 17 even whenforce to pull the photo film strip 23 is applied to the photo film strip23. The trailer 27 of the photo film strip 23 also has a pair of holes24. The holes 24 are utilized for insertion and attachment of thetrailer 27 into the slot 17.

The photo film strip 23 to be contained in the cassette shell 2 has thelength L from 500 to 1700 mm, as illustrated in FIG. 5. The length Ldepends on the available maximum number of exposures to be taken on thephoto film strip 23. The width W of the photo film strip 23 is forexample 25 mm. There are perforations 26 formed near one of thelongitudinal edges of the photo film strip 23. Two of the perforations26 are associated with one frame 23a. The perforations 26 are used forpositioning the frame 23a on an exposure aperture in a camera. Distalends of the photo film strip 23 define the trailer 27 and a leader 28.The leader 28 is separated by the separator claw 7 (See FIG. 1) whenadvancing to the exterior of the cassette shell 2.

The photo film strip 23 includes a support having thickness of 80 to 105microns, and a coating of photosensitive emulsion layer applied to thesupport at thickness of 3 to 30 microns. The support is formed ofpolyethylene-2,6-naphthalate (PEN). The elasticity and the coefficientsof static friction of the photo film strip 23 were experimentallymeasured: the modulus of elasticity in tension was 500 to 730 kg/mm² ;the static friction coefficient of an emulsion surface of the photo filmstrip 23 was 0.16; and the static friction coefficient of a back surfaceof the photo film strip 23 was 0.12.

FIG. 6 illustrates a system for assembling the photo film cassette. Asupply section 30 contains a continuous photo film 31 on a reel 32. Thephoto film 31 has the PEN support and the emulsion surface, andgenerally has thickness t of 150 microns. The photo film 31 is drawnfrom the reel 32 horizontally, and fed to a perforator section 34. Theperforator section 34 forms the perforations 26. As illustrated in FIG.5, two of the perforations 26 are associated with each one of the frames23a with reference to a width direction of the photo film 31. Theperforator section 34 can be of any appropriate type for adaptation tothe maximum photographable numbers of frames of photo film strips: forexample, the assembling system includes two perforator sectionsrespectively to form perforations for ten frames, and one perforatorsection to form perforations for five frames.

The photo film 31 with the perforations 26 formed therein is conveyed toa cutting section 35, where the photo film 31 as conveyed is measuredwith a predetermined length, and cut by a cutter 36 into the photo filmstrip 23. Front and rear portions of the photo film strip 23 are formedinto shapes of the leader 28 and the trailer 27 illustrated in FIG. 5.The retaining holes 21 and the holes 24 are formed in the trailer 27 atthe same time.

The photo film strip 23 is moved with the trailer 27 directed ahead,entered in a delivery section 37, and is delivered to either of sixloader sections 38a-38f. There are arranged seven transport paths39a-39g radially between the delivery section 37 and the loaders38a-38f. While the transport paths 39a-39f are respectively directed tothe loaders 38a-38f, the transport path 39g is directed to a receptacletray 40. The transport path 39g is used for transportation ofunacceptable photo film strips, such as defective perforations or cutportions, to be exited to the receptacle tray 40. The supply section 30,the delivery section 37 and the transport paths 39a-39g are disposed ina photo film producing compartment which is light-tight, and which isseparated from the loaders 38a-38f.

The loaders 38a-38f are arranged in a loading compartment which islight-tight, and associated with a cassette supply/exit sections 43a-43fwhich can be arranged in a bright room. The supply/exit sections 43a-43fsupply the cassette shell 2 as assembled to the loaders 38a-38f, andexit photo film cassettes toward a packaging station following thesupply/exit sections 43a-43f. Between the supply/exit sections 43a-43fand the loaders 38a-38f, there are disposed transfer sections 44a-44f,which transfer the cassette shell 2 while keeping the loadingcompartment 42 light-tight.

The transfer sections 44a-44f transfer the cassette shell 2 from thesupply/exit sections 43a-43f to the loaders 38a-38f. In the loaders38a-38f, the shutter plate 11 of the cassette shell 2 in FIG. 1 ispositioned rotationally in the open position. The photo film strip 23from the transport paths 39a-39f is transported by transport rollers inthe loaders 38a-38f, before the trailer 27 is engaged with the hooks 18of the spool 5. With the spool 5 rotated, the photo film strip 23 iswound about the core 5b. When all the photo film strip 23 is wound, theshutter plate 11 is positioned in the closed position. The photo filmcassette containing all of the photo film strip 23 is transferred fromthe loaders 38a-38f to the supply/exit sections 43a-43f, and conveyed tothe packaging station.

The loaders 38a-38f are disposed in the loading compartment 42separately from the photo film producing compartment 41, because it ismore likely that the loaders 38a-38f will require maintenance than theother components of the assembling system. When the loader 38a has afailure for example, the delivery section 37 delivers the photo filmstrip 23 to the loaders 38b-38f other than the loader 38a. In themeantime the loader 38a can be repaired.

The delivery section 37 is described now in detail. As illustrated inFIGS. 7 and 8, the delivery section 37 includes a servo motor 45 assource of motion for the delivery. A rotational axis of the servo motor45 is designated with the sign O, lies on the plane defined by the photofilm strip 23, and extends perpendicular to the longitudinal directionof the photo film strip 23. A rotary disk 46 is mounted in rotatablefashion about the axis O and in forward and backward directions. Adelivery guide device 48 is fixed on the disk 46 via a bracket 47, andhas a receiving slot 48a for the photo film strip 23. A stationary guidedevice 49 is disposed upstream from the receiving slot 48a, and adaptedto guidance for supply of the photo film strip 23 as formed by thecutting section 35.

The disk 46 has a diameter of 160 mm. The length L1 of the deliveryguide device 48 is 75 mm, shorter than a radius of the disk 46. Thestationary guide device 49 is located horizontally with respect to theaxis O of the disk 46. Even when the disk 46 is rotated about the axisO, the receiving slot 48a is unmovably directed to the end of thestationary guide device 49. An exit slot 48b of the delivery guidedevice 48 is positioned at entry slots of the transport paths 39a-39g.

The delivering angle θ covered by the transport paths 39a-39g is 66degrees about the axis O. The angle θ1 of the transport path 39a withreference to the stationary guide device 49 is 28 degrees. The angle θ2between the transport paths 39a-39g is 11 degrees. The servo motor 45 isstopped in a rotational position while monitored by a known sensor orencoder for detecting its position. The servo motor 45 has a homeposition determined at the transport path 39a. The servo motor 45generates rotation at a speed high enough to require at most 0.1 secondbetween the transport path 39a and the transport path 39g, which definethe longest rotational distance of the delivery guide device 48 topermit delivery of the photo film strip 23 to be very fast. The photofilm cassette can thus be produced with a high efficiency.

As illustrated in FIG. 9, the delivery guide device 48 is constituted ofan upper plate 51 and a lower plate 52, each of which is formed ofbrass, and coated with hard chrome plating. Bolts are inserted intoholes 51a at the corners of the upper plate 51 and holes 52a at thecorners of the lower plate 52, and adapted to fixation of the upperplate 51 and the lower plate 52. The lower plate 52 includes a longrecess 53 directed in a moving direction of the photo film strip 23.Longitudinal edges of the recess 53 have lower ridges 54, which supportlongitudinal edges of the bottom face of the photo film strip 23 outsideeffective frame areas. A bottom of the upper plate 51 has upper ridges55, which are received in the recess 53 with the upper plate 51 fittedon the lower plate 52, and confront the top face of the photo film strip23 and outside the effective frame areas.

In FIG. 10 a section taken along line A--A of FIG. 7, the width L2 ofthe recess 53 in the lower plate 52 is 25.5 mm, for the purpose ofreliable guidance from the delivery guide device 48 to the transportpaths 39a-39g, without hindrance of the photo film strip 23 having thewidth W=25 mm. The lower ridges 54 and the upper ridges 55 havecurvatures 54a and 55a with a radius of 0.5 mm or more. The photo filmstrip 23 contacts the curvatures 54a and 55a, so that no scratches arecreated on the photo film strip 23.

As illustrated in FIG. 11, the lower ridges 54 and the upper ridges 55have inclined faces 54b and 55b at the receiving slot 48a, forfacilitation of insertion of the photo film strip 23 from the stationaryguide device 49. The inclined faces 54b and 55b have a length L3 of 25mm and an angle θ3 of 1.2 degrees. A space L4 (See FIG. 10) between thelower ridges 54 and the upper ridges 55 is 2 mm. The photo film strip 23has a thickness of 150 microns.

As illustrated in FIG. 9, the delivery guide device 48 as assembled isfixed with bolts to a top of the bracket 47 having an L-shape as viewedin section. A lateral side 47a of the bracket 47 is fixed with bolts tothe disk 46. A rear of the disk 46 has a rotary shaft 46a, which isconnected to the servo motor 45.

As illustrated in FIG. 12, the stationary guide device 49 also includesan upper plate 57 and a lower plate 58, which are fixedly securedtogether with bolts. The upper plate 57 and the lower plate 58 areformed of brass, and coated with a plating of hard chrome. Thestationary guide device 49 also has a long recess 59, lower ridges 60and upper ridges 61 formed at sizes the same as their counterparts ofthe delivery guide device 48. The photo film strip 23 is conveyedthrough the stationary guide device 49 in fashion similar to thedelivery guide device 48.

As illustrated in FIG. 8, a guide roller set 63 is mounted on a top anda bottom of the stationary guide device 49 at its downstream end. Theguide roller set 63 includes an upper guide roller 66 and a lower guideroller 69. The upper guide roller 66 is rotatable about a shaft 65,which is supported by bearing members 64 secured to the upper plate 57.The lower guide roller 69 is rotatable about a shaft 68, which issupported by bearing members 67 secured to the lower plate 58. Each ofthe guide rollers 66 and 69 is constituted of a pair of disk-shapedflanges 66a, 69a, and a core 66b, 69b. The flanges 66a and 69a contactthe photo film strip 23. An interval between the flanges 66a and 69a isgreater than a width of the effective frame areas on the photo filmstrip 23, so as to avoid scratching the effective frame areas. The guideroller set 63 is made of general-purpose steel, and has a coating ofhard chrome plating.

The upper plate 57 and the lower plate 58 have two pairs of slots 71 and72, which are positioned to confront the guide roller set 63. Theflanges 66a and 69a of the guide rollers 66 and 69 are inserted in theslots 71 and 72. The flanges 66a and 69a also confront pairs of slots 74and 75, which are formed in the upper plate 51 and the lower plate 52 asillustrated in FIG. 9. When the disk 46 is rotated, the delivery guidedevice 48 is inclined with reference to the stationary guide device 49.The flanges 66a and 69a are inserted in the slots 74 and 75, so that theguide roller set 63 does not interfere with the delivery guide device48.

In FIGS. 10 and 11, the guide roller set 63 is set off as much as L5=6mm in the upstream direction with reference to the axis O of the disk46. The diameter φ1 of the flanges 66a and 69a is 44 mm. Even when thedelivery guide device 48 is positioned at the transport path 39g (SeeFIG. 7), there is an interval L6 as great as 0.3 mm between the deliveryguide device 48 and the guide roller set 63. The photo film strip 23having the thickness of 150 microns can thus be passed therethroughwithout difficulty. The interval L7 between the flanges 66a and 69a is 1mm. Curvatures 66c and 69c are formed around the flanges 66a and 69a andat a radius of 0.5 mm or more. The photo film strip 23 is thustransported without being damaged.

As illustrated in FIG. 8, transport roller set 77 is mounted on thestationary guide device 49 upstream from the guide roller set 63. InFIG. 12, the transport roller set 77 includes an upper transport roller80 and a lower transport roller 83, in a manner similar to the guideroller set 63. The upper transport roller 80 is rotatable about a shaft79, which is supported by bearing members 78 secured to the upper plate57. The lower transport roller 83 is rotatable about a shaft 82, whichis supported by bearing members 81 secured to the lower plate 58. Eachof the transport rollers 80 and 83 is constituted of a pair ofdisk-shaped flanges 80a, 83a, a core 80b, 83b, and a pair of rubberrings 80c, 83c. The rubber rings 80c and 83c are inserted in pairs ofslots 84 and 85 formed in the upper plate 57 and the lower plate 58. Thetransport roller set 77 rotates while squeezing the photo film strip 23in the stationary guide device 49, to transport the photo film strip 23.

As illustrated in FIG. 13, ends of the rotary shafts 65, 68, 79 and 82for the guide roller set 63 and the transport roller set 77 are providedwith pulleys 87, 88, 89 and 90. The pulleys 87 to 90 are connected via abelt 92. A servo motor 93 for driving rollers has a pulley 94. The belt92 is also connected to the pulley 94 and a pulley 95, the latter ofwhich is adapted to application of tension to the belt 92. When theservo motor 93 is driven in the clockwise direction, the pulleys 87 and89 are rotated clockwise, with the pulleys 88 and 90 rotatedcounterclockwise. The guide roller set 63 is rotated at the speed equalto that of the transport roller set 77. No frictional scratches occur onthe photo film strip 23 at the guide roller set 63, because therotational speed of the guide roller set 63 is set suitably for thephoto film strip 23 as transported by the transport roller set 77. Notethat the servo motor 93 rotates the transport roller set 77 to transportthe photo film strip 23 at the speed of 200 m/min.

Each of the transport paths 39a-39f and 39g between the delivery section37 and the loaders 38a-38f is constituted of grooves 99 and 100, which,as illustrated in FIG. 14, are formed in confronting faces 97a and 98aof plates 97 and 98. The photo film strip 23 moved from the deliveryguide device 48 is transported while supported by the grooves 99 and 100at longitudinal edges of the photo film strip 23 outside the effectiveframe areas. Entrances 99a and 100a of the grooves 99 and 100 areinclined broadly as illustrated in FIG. 7, so that the photo film strip23 is fed reliably into the transport paths 39a-39g.

Operation of the present invention is described below. In FIG. 6, thephoto film 31 in the supply section 30 is drawn from the reel 32, andtransported to the perforator section 34, where the perforations 26 areformed along the one edge of the photo film 31 as illustrated in FIG. 5,two for one effective frame area. The photo film 31 provided with theperforations 26 is transported to the cutting section 35, where thephoto film 31 is measured for the predetermined length, and cut by thecutter 36 into the photo film strip 23. During the cutting, the frontand rear ends of the photo film strip 23 are shaped in the leader 28 andthe trailer 27. The retaining holes 21 and the holes 24 are formedsimultaneously in the trailer 27.

The photo film strip 23 is transported into the stationary guide device49 of the delivery section 37 with the trailer 27 moved ahead. In thedelivery section 37, the servo motor 45 rotates the disk 46 with thedelivery guide device 48 about the axis O. The exit slot 48b is stoppedin its initial position defined at the transport path 39a. The rotatingtime lapsed before the stop of the exit slot 48b is at most about 0.1second, even if the delivery guide device 48 before the rotation waslocated at the delivery guide device 48g.

The photo film strip 23 entered in the stationary guide device 49 ispassed between the upper ridge 61 and the lower ridge 60 (See FIG. 12),until the trailer 27 comes to the transport roller set 77. The photofilm strip 23 is nipped by the transport roller set 77. As illustratedin FIG. 13, the transport roller set 77 and the guide roller set 63 arerotated by the belt 92, to which rotation of the servo motor 93 istransmitted by the pulley 94. When the servo motor 93 rotates the pulley94 clockwise, the pulleys 87 and 89 are rotated clockwise. The pulleys88 and 90 are rotated counterclockwise. The photo film strip 23 istransported at a speed of 200 m/min.

The photo film strip 23 transported by the transport roller set 77 comesto the guide roller set 63, and is moved into the delivery guide device48 in contact with the flanges 66a of the upper guide roller 66. Thecurvatures 66c and 69c, with a radius of curvature of 0.5 or more,contact the photo film strip 23 outside its effective frame areas. Therotation of the guide roller set 63 is as fast as transportation of thephoto film strip 23, so that no scratches are created on the photo filmstrip 23.

In FIG. 11, the receiving slot 48a has the inclined faces 54b and 55b atthe lower ridges 54 and 55. The trailer 27 is reliably inserted into thedelivery guide device 48. The space between the lower ridges 54 and theupper guide roller 66 is the greater, because the delivery guide device48 and the guide roller set 63 are deviated by as much as L5. The photofilm strip 23 is never bent or scratched accidentally.

The photo film strip 23 having come to the delivery guide device 48 ismoved between the lower ridges 54 and 55 on the upper and lower plates51 and 52. The lower ridges 54 and 55 have the curvatures 54a and 55a,which have a radius curvature of 0.5 or more, and contact the photo filmstrip 23 outside its effective frame areas. Thus, scratches, are notcreated on the photo film strip 23.

When passed through the delivery guide device 48, the photo film strip23 is moved into the transport path 39a. The transport path 39a consistsof the grooves 99 and 100. Edge portions of the photo film strip 23outside the effective frame areas are inserted into the entrances 99aand 100a. The photo film strip 23 is transported toward the loaders 38a.

In the loader 38a, the shutter plate 11 (See FIG. 1) in the cassetteshell 2 as supplied via the transfer section 44a has been rotated to anopen position. The photo film strip 23 moved through the transport path39a is transported by the transport rollers in the loader 38a. Thetrailer 27 is inserted into the photo film passageway 10. The trailer 27of the photo film strip 23 accessing to the cassette shell 2 is insertedin the slot 17 in the spool 5. The retaining holes 21 and the hooks 18are retained. The spool 5 is rotated in the winding direction, to windall the photo film strip 23 into the cassette shell 2, before theshutter plate 11 is rotated to the closed position. The photo filmcassette is completely assembled. The photo film cassette is moved bythe transfer section 44a to the supply/exit section 43a, and exited tonext station treating the cassette.

The delivery guide device 48 is positioned successively at the transportpaths 39b-39f. The photo film strip 23 is transported to the loaders38b-38f. Any defective photo film strips having failure perforations orcuts are exited to the receptacle tray 40 while the delivery guidedevice 48 is positioned at the transport path 39g.

In the embodiment, the photo film strip is moved during delivery in theseven directions, that is, toward the six loader sections and thereceptacle tray. The number of such directions for the photo film stripmay be greater or smaller.

The above embodiment has specifics of parts of the loader section inaccordance with the width W (=25 mm) and the thickness t (=150 microns)of the photo film strip, and the delivering angle θ (=66 degrees), asfollows:

L1=75 mm;

L2=25.5 mm;

L3=25 mm;

L4=2 mm;

L5=6 mm;

L6=0.3 mm;

L7=1 mm;

φ=160 mm;

φ1=44 mm;

θ3=1.2°;

Speed of transporting the photo film strip 23: 200 m/minute;

Time to the stop position for the exit slot 48b: 0.1 second;

Material for the delivery guide device 48 and the stationary guidedevice 49: brass;

Surface finish of the delivery guide device 48 and the stationary guidedevice 49: hard chrome plating;

Material for the guide roller set 63: general-purpose steel;

Surface finish of the guide roller set 63: hard chrome plating.

However, it is possible to modify the specifics in preferred ranges, inoptimum fashion for any width W and thickness t of the photo film strip,and the delivering angle θ. The preferred ranges are as follows.

30≦L1≦150 (mm);

10≦L2≦100 (mm);

15≦L3≦50 (mm);

0.5≦L4≦4 (mm);

0≦L5≦30 (mm);

0.3≦L6≦2 (mm);

0.5≦L7≦3 (mm);

φ=160 (mm);

30≦φ1≦100 (mm);

15≦θ≦120 (°);

1≦θ3≦10 (°);

Speed of transporting the photo film strip 23: from 1 to 400 m/minute;

Time to the stop position for the exit slot 48b: from 0.05 to 0.2second;

Material for the delivery guide device 48 and the stationary guidedevice 49: brass, general-purpose steel, stainless steel, aluminum andteflon;

Surface finish of the delivery guide device 48 and the stationary guidedevice 49: hard chrome plating;

Material for the guide roller set 63: general-purpose steel, stainlesssteel, aluminum and teflon;

Surface finish of the guide roller set 63: hard chrome plating.

Another preferred system for cassette assembly is referred to below.FIG. 15 illustrates a photo film cassette 110 to be assembled. Acassette shell 109 is constituted by an upper shell half 107, a lowershell half 108, and a spool 112, respectively molded as single pieces ofplastics.

Inner walls of the shell halves 107 and 108 have a pair of ridges 115.When a photo film strip 111 (See FIG. 16) is wound about the spool 112and contained between the shell halves 107 and 108, the ridges 115contact the periphery of the roll of the photo film strip 111 to preventit from loosening around the spool 112. A reference numeral 117designates a separator claw, which, during rotation of the photo filmstrip 111, abuts on a leading end of the photo film strip 111, andseparates it from the roll, so as to guide a leader of the photo filmstrip 111 to an exterior of the cassette shell 109.

The shell halves 107 and 108 have tongue portions 107a and 108a, which,when the shell halves 107 and 108 are fitted together, are joined todefine a photo film passageway 119. A shutter plate 114 is incorporatedbetween the tongue portions 107a and 108a. Ends of the shutter plate 114have shaft portions 114a, which render the shutter plate 114 rotatablein parallel with the spool 112. One of the ends of the shutter plate 114has a key 116, which appears externally through a surface of thecassette shell 109. When an opener member 118 is fitted on the key 116and rotates it, the shutter plate 114 is rotationally changed between anopen position where the photo film passageway 119 is open and a closedposition where the photo film passageway 119 is closed.

The spool 112 has a pair of flanges 112a formed integrally therewith.The photo film strip 111 is wound on a core 112b of the spool 112 andbetween the flanges 112a. Ends of the spool 112 appear through the facesof the cassette shell 109, and respectively have a key 113. An end ofthe key 113 has a notch 113a.

A slot 120 is formed in the core 112b of the spool 112. The inside ofthe slot 120 has a pair of hooks 121 and a pair of ridges 122. Theridges 122 are projected downward between the hooks 121. The slot 120has an entrance for insertion. A trailer 124 of the photo film strip 111is inserted into the entrance.

In the trailer 124 of the photo film strip 111 are formed a pair ofretaining holes 125. The hooks 121 are engaged with the retaining holes125. The trailer 124 of the photo film strip 111 also has a pair ofholes 126 next to the retaining holes 125. The holes 126 are utilizedfor insertion and attachment of the trailer 124 into the slot 120.

There is a sticker 106 attached to the cassette 109 before the the photofilm strip 111 is loaded. The sticker 106 has an ID code 127 having abar code form printed below the port portion 108a. The ID code 127represents a serial number of the cassette 109, and its manufacturingdate.

The photo film strip 111 to be contained in the cassette shell 109 has alength LS from 500 to 1700 mm, as illustrated in FIG. 16. The length LSdepends on the available maximum number of exposures to be taken on thephoto film strip 111. The width W of the photo film strip 111 is forexample 25 mm.

There are perforations 129 formed in positions near to one of thelongitudinal edges of the photo film strip 111. The photo film strip 111also has bar codes 130 in form of latent images along its edges. The barcodes 130 represent information inclusive of frame numbers, film speed,the ID code, and photographable maximum number of exposures for thefilm. The ID code comprises a serial number of the cassette 109, and itsmanufacturing date.

The photo film strip 111 includes a support having thickness of 70 to120 microns, and a coating of photosensitive emulsion layer applied tothe support at thickness of 2 to 4 microns. The support is formed ofpolyethylene-2,6-naphthalate (PEN). The elasticity and the coefficientsof static friction of the photo film strip 111 are experimentallymeasured: the modulus of elasticity in tension is 400 to 750 kg/mm² ;the static friction coefficient of an emulsion surface of the photo filmstrip 111 is 0.16; and the static friction coefficient of a back surfaceof the photo film strip 111 is 0.12.

The system for cassette assembly is referred to below. In FIG. 17, theassembling system consists of a photo film supply section 131, a cuttingsection 135, a delivery section 140, and three photo film loaderapparatuses 145a-145c. Each of the photo film loader apparatuses145a-145c is unified, and includes a loader section 141a-141c, asupply/exit section 142a-142c and a transfer section 143a-143c.

In the photo film supply section 131, a reel 133 is set and hascontinuous photo film 132. The continuous photo film 132 includes asupport and a coating of photosensitive emulsion surface, and woundabout the reel 133 with its emulsion surface wound outside. Thecontinuous photo film 132 is drawn from the reel 133 horizontally, andtransported to a perforator section 134, where the perforations 129 areconsecutively formed in the continuous photo film 132. Then thecontinuous photo film 132 is cut by the cutting section 135 at theregular length into the photo film strip 111.

The cutting section 135 has an intermittent feeding roller 136, acutting mechanism 137, a preexposure device 138 and a sensor 139. Thepreexposure device 138 effects preexposure to the photo film to form thebar codes 130 as latent images inclusive of the ID code. The sensor 139is adapted to detecting the perforations 129. Note that numbers may beformed by a preexposure device instead of the bar codes 130.

The cutting mechanism 137 is operated after the photo film strip 111 isoriented by the delivery section 140 and fed by the intermittent feedingroller 136 at the regular length, which is described in detail below. Arear end of the photo film strip 111 relative to the transport directionis formed in the shape of the leader 123 in FIG. 16. A front end of thephoto film strip 111 relative to the transport direction is formed inthe shape of the trailer 124. Simultaneously the holes 125 and 126 areformed. The preexposure device 138 prerecords the bar codes 130 on thephoto film strip 111 in accordance with the ID code 127 as read by photofilm loader section 143a-143c from the cassette 109, as described below.

The photo film strip 111 is sent into the delivery section 140 with thetrailer 124 advanced ahead, and delivered into each of the loadersections 141a-141c. It is taken into consideration in the delivery thatthe ID code of the photo film strip 111 to be contained in the cassette109 coincides with the ID code of the cassette 109. The loader sections141a-141c are disposed in a light-tight dark compartment 147, i.e. adark room, and is connected respectively to the supply/exit sections142a-142c disposed in a bright room. The transfer sections 143a-143c,disposed between the supply/exit sections 142a-142c and the loadersections 141a-141c, prevent ambient light from entering the darkcompartment 147. The photo film supply section 131, the perforatorsection 134, the cutting section 135 and the delivery section 140 arearranged also in a light-tight dark compartment.

The cassette 109 is transferred from the supply/exit section 142a by thetransfer section 143a to the loader section 141a. The transfer section143a has read the ID code 127 from the cassette 109, and transmittedinformation of it to the preexposure device 138. The loader section 141arotates the shutter plate 114 to the open position, and engages thetrailer 124 with the spool 112. Then the spool 112 is rotated to windthe whole of the photo film strip 111 around the spool 112. The loadersection 141a rotates the shutter plate 114 to the closed position toterminate its operation.

The photo film cassette 110 as assembled is transferred from the loadersection 141a by the transfer section 143a to the supply/exit section142a. In the meantime the ID code 127 on the cassette 109 is read again.It is checked whether the information of reading the ID code 127coincides with data of preexposure of the ID code to the photo filmstrip 111, so as to confirm the identification of the cassette with thephoto film strip. Then the photo film cassette 110 is conveyed to thepackaging station. A defective photo film strip, for example detected bythe sensor 139 as lacking the perforations 129, is exited to areceptacle tray 144 by the delivery section 140.

Each of the loader sections 141a-141c, the transfer sections 143a-143cand the supply/exit sections 142a-142c can handle 15 to 25 products ofthe cassette 109 per minute. If three lines are arranged in parallel,the cassette assembling system can handle 45 to 75 products of thecassette 109 per minute.

FIG. 18 schematically illustrates an arrangement of the delivery section140, the loader sections 141a-141c, the supply/exit sections 142a-142cand the transfer sections 143a-143c. The delivery section 140 has adelivery guide device 140b which is caused to rotate about an axis 140aat a regular pitch to deliver the photo film strip 111 into transportpaths 148a-148d constituting a photo film transport apparatus.

The radial paths 148a-148d are disposed radially about the shaft 140a.The radial paths 148a-148c are connected respectively to horizontalpaths 149a-149c constituting the transport section inside the darkcompartment 147. The horizontal paths 149a-149c are connectedrespectively to the loader sections 141a-141c. The radial path 148d isconnected to the receptacle tray 144 disposed outside the darkcompartment 147.

The inside of the dark compartment 147 is separated into dark chambers147a, 147b and 147c by two partitions 151. The dark chamber 147acontains the radial path 148a, the horizontal path 149a and the loadersection 141a. The chambers 147b and 147c contain counterparts of thosecontained in the dark chamber 147a.

Each of the lengths of the radial paths 148a-148d and the horizontalpaths 149a-149c inside the dark compartment 147 is 1700 mm or more forthe purpose of containing the whole length of the photo film strip 111which may have a maximum length. The radial paths 148a-148d and thehorizontal paths 149a-149c are all straight, so that it is possible toequalize the duration of passage of the photo film strip 111 for eachone.

The horizontal path 149a, as illustrated in FIG. 19, includes an upperguide plate 154 and a lower guide plate 155 combined in a light-tightlabyrinth fashion. Between the upper and lower guide plates 154 and 155is formed a passageway for the photo film strip 111. The passagewaycontacts the portions of the photo film strip 111 outside its effectiveframe areas. The upper and lower guide plates 154 and 155 are made ofiron, brass or the like, which is coated with a hard chrome plating. Thehorizontal paths 149b, 149c and the radial paths 148a-148c have astructure similar to the horizontal path 149a.

Doors 152a-152c are disposed on a side of the dark compartment 147 inassociation with the loader sections 141a-141c, for the purpose ofaccess to the loader sections 141a-141c when a breakdown occurs to anyof them. Even though the door 152a is opened for the loader section141a, the partitions 151 prevent ambient light from entering the loadersections 141b and 141c through the door 152a, to protect the photo filmthrough the loader sections 141b and 141c. There are disposed shuttermechanisms 150a-150d at entrances of the dark compartment 147 inassociation with the radial paths 148a-148d, for the purpose ofpreventing ambient light through the doors 152a-152c from entering thedelivery section 140.

The shutter mechanisms 150a-150d, as illustrated in FIG. 20, aredisposed in a wall 156 of the dark compartment 147 confronting thedelivery section 140. The wall 156 has openings 158, through which theradial paths 148a-148d are respectively extended. There is a gap formedto interrupt each of the radial paths 148a-148d. A shutter plate 157 isinserted in the gap, to close the opening 158. Opening movement of thedoors 152a-152c is effected respectively in association with closingmovement of the shutter mechanisms 150a-150c. The shutter mechanism 150amust be closed before the door 152a can be opened. This is the situationof the shutter mechanism 150b with respect to the door 152b, and theshutter mechanism 150c with respect to the door 152c.

A number of drive nipping roller sets 153 are incorporated in the radialpaths 148a-148d and the horizontal paths 149a-149c to transport thephoto film strip 111. Some of the nipping roller sets 153 are located atconnecting portions between the radial and horizontal paths 148a-148cand 149a-149c.

The radial path 148a is connected to the horizontal path 149a at asloping connecting portion 168 with an obtuse angle. The slopingconnecting portion 168 has the nipping roller set 153 in combination ofa drive roller 159 and a driven roller 160, as illustrated in FIG. 21.The driven roller 160 is biased by a spring 161 to contact the driveroller 159. The driven roller 160 is a rubber roller, which includes ametallic core 160a and a rubber member 160b coiled thereabout for thepurpose of avoiding scratching the photo film strip 111. As the slopingconnecting portion 168 associated with the nipping roller set 153, thephoto film strip 111 can be transported smoothly, continuously, and in adirection parallel to the radial path 148b.

The loader apparatuses 145a-145c are easily removable from the darkcompartment 147 upon occurrence of a breakdown. When the loaderapparatuses 145a-145c are mounted on the dark compartment 147, the wallof the dark compartment 147 holds the transfer sections 143a-143c of theloader apparatuses 145a-145c in a light-tight fashion. The loadersections 141a-141c are shielded from ambient light the inside the darkcompartment 147. The supply/exit sections 142a-142c are in the brightroom outside the dark compartment 147.

The transfer section 143a transfers the cassette 109 from thesupply/exit section 142a to the loader section 141a. As illustrated inFIG. 22, the transfer section 143a includes a light-tight casing 162 anda rotary barrel 163. The light-tight casing 162 is fitted inside thedark compartment 147, includes a hollowness defined between its twoportions, and supports the rotary barrel 163 in rotatable fashion abouta shaft 163a.

The rotary barrel 163 has a cylindrical shape. In FIGS. 23 and 24, thelight-tight casing 162 has a large thickness. Even when ambient light isexternally applied to a top or bottom of an opening 162a, the light isreflected in gaps over and below the rotary barrel 163 in the opening162a and a plurality of times, and well absorbed at surfaces of the gapsto diminish the light sufficiently to protect the inside of the darkcompartment 147 from the light. Plural ridges 163d are disposed on twosides of the rotary barrel 163, and have arcuate shapes about the axisof rotation. Lateral faces inside the light-tight casing 162 between theopenings 162a and 162b are formed in correspondence with lateral facesof the rotary barrel 163. Even when ambient light is externally appliedto vertical sides of the opening 162a, none of the light comes into thedark compartment 147.

The rotary barrel 163 has recesses 163b and 163c which are rotationallysymmetrical to each other. Cassette holders 164 and 165 are mounted inthe recesses 163b and 163c to support the cassette 109. The openings162a and 162b in the light-tight casing 162 render the cassette holders164 and 165 accessible respectively from the supply/exit section 142aand from the loader section 141a.

An initial orientation of the transfer section 143a is determined assuch depicted in FIG. 22, where the rotary barrel 163 is so directedthat the cassette holder 164 is at the supply/exit position, and thatthe cassette holder 165 is at the loading position. In the supply/exitposition, the cassette 109 is supplied from the supply/exit section142a, and held by the cassette holder 164. At the same time, a sensor166 in the transfer section 143a detects the ID code 127. Information ofthe ID code 127 as read is sent to the preexposure device 138 of thecutting section 135.

After reading of the ID code 127, the rotary barrel 163 is caused tomake half a rotation, to set the cassette 109 in the loading position.The loader section 141a loads the cassette 109 in the loading positionwith the photo film strip 111, to obtain the photo film cassette 110while the cassette 109 remains held in the cassette holder 164. In thecourse of loading, the cassette holder 165 in the supply/exit positionis being supplied with a second cassette shell 109.

After the loading operation of the loader section 141a, the transfersection 143a causes the rotary barrel 163 to make half a rotation. Thephoto film cassette 110 loaded with the photo film strip 111 is movedrotationally to the supply/exit position. With the movement terminated,the photo film cassette 110 is exited from the cassette holder 164 tothe supply/exit section 142a. In the course of the exiting, anothercassette in the loading position is loaded with another photo film stripby way of the cassette holder 165.

The cassette holder 164 includes a stationary plate 164a and a movableplate 164b. Similarly, the cassette holder 165 includes a stationaryplate 165a and a movable plate 165b. The stationary plates 164a and 165ahave a receiving portion shaped to receive the cassette 109 asillustrated in FIG. 25. The movable plates 164b and 165b are rotatablymounted on the stationary plates 164a and 165a, are driven via hydrauliccylindrical devices and/or linking mechanisms (not shown), and when thereceiving portion is supplied with the cassette 109, grasp the cassette109.

When the cassette 109 is squeezed by the movable plates 164b or 165b,the cassette 109 is oriented regularly due to the shape of the receivingportion and receipt of the tongue portions. Thus the passageway 119 isdirected regularly. A direction of the passageway 119 is inclinedslightly upward for the loading position.

Each of the loader sections 141a-141c, as illustrated in FIGS. 25 and26, includes a retainer mechanism 170 for the trailer, a drive mechanism171 for the spool, an opener mechanism 172 for the shutter plate, asupport roller 173 for the trailer, a back tension roller 174 and aninsert tension roller set 175.

When transported from the horizontal path 149a, the photo film strip 111is nipped by the insert tension roller set 175. The insert tensionroller set 175 includes a drive roller 175a and a driven roller 175b.The drive roller 175a is rotated in synchronism with the drive roller159 of the nipping roller sets 153. The photo film strip 111 istransported until being projected over the support roller 173 by a smallamount.

A sensor is disposed under the support roller 173 for detecting thetrailer 124. Upon detection of the trailer 124 at the sensor 176, thedrive roller 175a and 159 are stopped from rotating, to stoptransporting the photo film strip 111. The trailer 124 stands supportedby the support roller 173. The support roller 173 is standing by withthe trailer 124 located in a rotational locus of an insert plate 177,which is described below in detail. The standby position of the supportroller 173 is higher than the passageway 119, so that the photo filmstrip 111, after capturing of trailer 124, follows the rotational locusof the insert plate 177.

The opener mechanism 172 includes the opener shaft 118 engaged with thekey 116 of the shutter plate 114, and a drive unit for driving theopener shaft 118. The drive unit includes a shifting mechanism and amotor. The shifting mechanism shifts the opener shaft 118 between aretracted position and an engaged position of engagement with the key116. The motor rotates the opener shaft 118 to displace the shutterplate 114 rotationally between the open and closed positions. Beforeloading the cassette 109 with the photo film strip 111, the drive unitshifts the opener shaft 118 to the engaged position with the key 116,and rotates the shutter plate 114 to the open position by way of themotor. After loading the cassette 109 with the photo film strip 111, thedrive unit rotates the shutter plate 114 to the closed position by wayof the motor, and shifts the opener shaft 118 away from the key 116 tothe retracted position.

The retainer mechanism 170 retains the trailer 124 of the photo filmstrip 111 to the spool 112 of the cassette 109, and includes the insertplate 177, two capturing claws 178, and a rotating mechanism. The insertplate 177 inserts the trailer 124 into the spool 112. The capturingclaws 178 are disposed on a distal edge of the insert plate 177. Therotating mechanism rotates the insert plate 177.

The insert plate 177 in FIGS. 27 and 28 is curved in arcuate fashion, isa thin metallic plate having flexibility, and has the capturing claws178 formed integrally with its distal edge. The metallic plate for theinsert plate 177 is preferably spring steel plate for a stainlessspring, and desirably tempered.

The insert plate 177 is rotated by the rotating mechanism between thestandby position and an inserting position. The capturing claws 178 inthe standby position stand by above the support roller 173. Thecapturing claws 178 in the inserting position are entered into the slot120 inside the cassette 109 after passage through the passageway 119. Arotary shaft 179 of the insert plate 177 is disposed equidistantly withthe center of the spool 112, the passageway 119, and the capturing claws178 in the standby position. When the insert plate 177 is rotated in theclockwise direction from the standby position in FIG. 25, the capturingclaws 178 are passed through the passageway 119 and into the slot 120.

The capturing claws 178 become engaged with the holes 126 in the trailer124 immediately after the start of rotating the insert plate 177, tocapture the trailer 124. The capturing claws 178 have a length to beflush with, or projected from, a distal edge of the trailer 124 whencapturing the trailer 124, for purpose of preventing the trailer 124from being damaged by contact with the spool 112 while the insert plate177 is in the inserting position.

The spool drive mechanism 171 includes a fork 180 engaged with the key113 of the spool 112, and a drive unit for driving the fork 180. Thedrive unit includes a shifting mechanism and a motor 181. The shiftingmechanism shifts the fork 180 between a retracted position and anengaged position of engagement with the key 113. The motor 181 rotatesthe fork 180 to rotate the spool 112. As illustrated in FIG. 29, thefork 180 and the motor 181 are mounted on a slide frame 182. When thecassette holder 164 or 165 is positioned in the loading position, theshifting mechanism slides the slide frame 182 from the retractedposition to the engaged position.

There is disposed a photo sensor 83 opposite to the fork 180 relative tothe rotary barrel 163. The photo sensor 183 detects the notch 113a atthe key 113, so as to check whether the spool 112 has a predeterminedrotational position. Although not depicted in the drawings, an oppositeend of the spool 112 also has the key 113 and the notch 113a. Thepredetermined position for the spool 112 is such that an entrance of theslot 120 for the trailer 124 is directed along a rotational locus of theinsert plate 177, in view of facilitating insertion of the capturingclaws 178 into the slot 120 when the insert plate 177 has the insertingposition.

A torque meter 184 is connected between the fork 180 and the motor 181,and measures torque required for rotating the spool 112. To be precise,the spool 112, after loading the cassette 109 with the cassette 109, isrotated in the unwinding direction to advance a small portion of theleader 123 to the outside of the cassette 109. In the unwindingrotation, the torque applied to the spool 112 to advance the leader 123is measured. Then the spool 112 in turn is rotated in the windingdirection to re-contain the leader 123 in the cassette 109. During thewinding, the torque for the spool 112 is measured. Information of thetorque as measured is transmitted to the supply/exit sections 142a-142c.If the torque is evaluated as a failure, the cassette 109 is exited to areceptacle for defective cassettes. Note that the termination of windingthe photo film strip 111 is determined by way of the sensor 176.

The standby position of the support roller 173 is determined asillustrated in FIG. 25. If the support roller 173 were kept in thestandby position, it would be probable that the photo film strip 111 atthe start of the winding would be scratched by contact on the passageway119. The support roller 173 is moved to such a start position that thephoto film strip 111 is prevented from contacting the passageway 119,after the retention between the trailer 124 and the spool 112 and beforethe start of the winding of the photo film strip 111. The start positionof the support roller 173 is determined as lower than the standbyposition and level with or slightly higher than the passageway 119.

In the course of winding of the photo film strip 111 on to the spool112, the diameter of the roll of the photo film strip 111 increasesaround the spool 112. The position of the photo film strip 111 passedthrough the passageway 119 is gradually thus changed. The photo filmstrip 111 thus could be frictionally contacted on a lower wall of thepassageway 119. The support roller 173 is shifted to change its heightin accordance with a diameter of the photo film strip 111 and thesupport roller 173 is moved to an end position slightly before the endof the winding of the photo film strip 111, to prevent the photo filmstrip 111 from contacting the passageway 119. The end position is higherthan the passageway 119.

To shift the support roller 173 from the start position to the endposition, a cam plate 186 is used. The cam plate 186 is rotated about ashaft 186a by a rotating mechanism 192 under control of a controller194, and is rotated in response to a start of the spool drive mechanism171. A cam follower is driven by the cam plate 186 and rotated about ashaft 173a, to rotate the support roller 173 toward the end position.

The photo film strip 111 is curled by changes of temperature andhumidity. The photo film strip 111 is typically curled like an"archway", namely in the width direction with the center projectedconvexly. The trailer 124 is supported only by the support roller 173upward, and remains free with the arched curl without beingstraightened. If the insert plate 177 should be rotated with the trailer124 curled, it would be likely that the capturing claws 178 might not beengaged with the holes 126. To straighten the arched curl of the trailer124, the insert tension roller set 175 nips the trailer 124 while theretainer mechanism 170 is driven. The insert tension roller set 175provides the photo film strip 111 with tension while the trailer 124 issafely inserted by actuation of the retainer mechanism 170.

The tension for the photo film strip 111 depends on brake force at adrive shaft of the insert tension roller set 175, and is preferably 20to 200 grams. This makes it possible to capture the trailer 124reliably, and to insert the trailer 124 with the insert plate 177easily. Thus, the trailer 124 will not be stopped by any portion of thepassageway 119. When the trailer 124 is retained on the spool 112, asolenoid 188 is actuated to retract the driven roller 175b away from thedrive roller 175a and upward about a shaft 189. The insert tensionroller set 175 is released from nipping the trailer 124.

A standby position of the back tension roller 174 is determined as apoint which is located within the insert plate 177 and retracted fromthe rotational locus of the insert plate 177. The back tension roller174 is set in the standby position by actuation of a solenoid 190. Afterthe trailer 124 is retained on the spool 112, the solenoid 190 isstopped from actuation. The back tension roller 174 is rotated about ashaft 174a to a nipping position where the photo film strip 111 isnipped between it and the support roller 173. The photo film strip 111can be loaded while the photo film strip 111 is tightly wound on thespool 112 with the photo film strip 111 nipped between the back tensionroller 174 and the support roller 173.

Operation of assembling the photo film cassette 110 in the aboveconstructed system is described now. As illustrated in FIG. 15, thecassette 109 is assembled in the bright room. Parts of the cassette 109are assembled easily because assembly can be accomplished in the brightroom. The shell halves 107 and 108 are firmly welded together by meansof ultrasonic welding. The sticker 106 having the ID code 127 isattached to the cassette 109, which is transported into any of thesupply/exit sections 142a-142c.

The cassette 109 is supplied by the supply/exit sections 142a-142crespectively to the transfer sections 143a-143c, where the cassetteholder 164 of the rotary barrel 163 supports the cassette 109. The IDcode 127 is read by sensors 166a-166c from the cassette 109. Informationof the ID code 127 as read is sent to the preexposure device 138, in aserial manner in the order of the sensors 166a, 166b and 166c.

When the loader apparatuses 145a-145c are standing by for being driven,the continuous photo film 132 is drawn out of the reel 133. Thecontinuous photo film 132 is provided with the perforations 129 by theperforator section 134, passed through the cutting section 135 and tothe delivery section 140.

The delivery section 140 directs the trailer 124 of the photo film strip111 to one of the radial paths 148a-148c, e.g. the radial path 148a, sothat the ID code of the cassette 109 in the loader section 141acoincides with data of the ID code to be recorded on the photo filmstrip 111 in preexposure. The intermittent feeding roller 136 of thecutting section 135 transports the photo film strip 111 as far as theregular length, while the preexposure device 138 records the ID codeaccording to the data sent from the sensor 166a. After thetransportation of the regular length, the photo film strip 111 isseparated by cutting operation. The nipping roller sets 153 of theradial path 148a are driven to transport the photo film strip 111 to theloader section 141a.

The transfer section 143a rotates the rotary barrel 163 simultaneouslywith the regular feeding of the intermittent feeding roller 136, torotate the cassette 109 with the cassette holder 164 from thesupply/exit position to the loading position. As illustrated in FIG. 30,the opener mechanism 172 and the spool drive mechanism 171 are actuated.The opener shaft 118 rotationally displaces the shutter plate 114 to theopen position. The opener mechanism 172 rotationally sets the spool 112in the predetermined position.

When the trailer 124 is detected by the sensor 176, the photo film strip111 is stopped from being transported. The photo film strip 111 asstopped is stocked within the length of the radial path 148a and thehorizontal path 149a inside the dark compartment 147.

In the initial position of the loader section 141a, the trailer 124 isnipped by the insert tension roller set 175, as illustrated in FIG. 25.The nipping roller sets 153 have a free state. The support roller 173has the standby position. The back tension roller 174 has the retractedposition.

Upon detection of the trailer 124, the retainer mechanism 170 isactuated. As illustrated in FIG. 31, the insert plate 177 is rotatedabout the shaft 179 in the clockwise direction. Immediately thecapturing claws 178 are engaged with the holes 126 in the trailer 124.In further rotation of the insert plate 177, the capturing claws 178swing with the trailer 124 captured thereon. The photo film strip 111follows the locus of the insert plate 177 from the support roller 173.

The capturing claws 178 pass through the passageway 119 with the trailer124 captured, and into the cassette 109. The capturing claws 178 enterthe slot 120 in the core 112b, to have the state of FIG. 32. The trailer124, as in FIG. 33, is passed between the hooks 121 and the ridges 122inside the slot 120, to insert the hooks 121 into the retaining holes125. Even though the capturing claws 178 are rubbed on the inside of theslot 120, the flexibility of the capturing claws 178 enables them tosmooth their insertion into the slot 120 to the full depth of the slot120. Note that the lower half of the core 112b is eliminated from FIG.33.

The trailer 124 is retained on the core 112b of the spool 112. Then theinsert plate 177 is rotated back to the standby position, to retract thecapturing claws 178 away from the cassette 109. The hooks 121 are soshaped as to hinder the trailer 124 from moving in the removingdirection. The retaining holes 125, once engaged with the hooks 121, arenever disengaged from the same even while the insert plate 177 is beingpulled away from the slot 120.

After the insert plate 177 is rotated to the standby position, the camplate 186 is rotated at an amount of a predetermined angle asillustrated in FIG. 34. The support roller 173 is moved to the startposition. As illustrated in FIG. 35, the photo film strip 111 comesnearest to the lower face of the passageway 119. A lower guide plate 195also moves with the movement of the support roller 173. The lower guideplate 195 is one of the guide plates, is disposed between the supportroller 173 and the drive roller 175a, and supports the bottom of thephoto film strip 111. For the start of the winding, the lowest pointaround the core of the spool 112 and the position of the passageway 119are substantially level with the highest point around the support roller173. The photo film strip 111 is horizontally transported.

As illustrated in FIG. 36, the back tension roller 174 is moved to thenipping position. The photo film strip 111 is nipped between the backtension roller 174 and the support roller 173. The driven roller 175b ofthe insert tension roller set 175 is moved to the retracted position,namely away from the drive roller 175a, to release the photo film strip111 from being nipped.

After the insert tension roller set 175 is released from nipping, thefork 180 is rotated by the motor 181, to rotate the spool 112 in thewinding direction. The photo film strip 111 is nipped between the backtension roller 174 and the support roller 173, and thus is wound tightlyon the spool 112. In synchronism with the fork 180, the cam plate 186 isrotated in the clockwise direction in FIG. 34. As illustrated in FIG.37, the support roller 173 is being moved from the start position to theend position according as the diameter of the photo film strip 111 ischanged around the spool 112. Therefore it is possible to load the photofilm strip 111 without rubbing it on the passageway 119.

When the sensor 176 detects termination of winding the photo film strip111, the fork 180 is stopped from rotating. Then the torque for rotationis measured. The torque meter 184 is connected to the fork 180, andmonitors the torque for winding the photo film strip 111. It is possibleto check changes in tension applied to the photo film strip 111, and toavoid damage due to unwanted high tension.

To measure the torque, the fork 180 is rotated to advance a smallportion of the leader 123 to the outside of the cassette 109. Then theleader 123 is wound back into the cassette 109. In the meantime thetorque meter 184 measures the advancing torque and the winding torque.Information of results of the measurement is transmitted to thesupply/exit section 142a.

After the torque is measured, the opener mechanism 172 rotates theopener shaft 118, to move the shutter plate 114 rotationally to theclosed position. Ambient light is prevented from entering the photo filmcassette 110. Then the transfer section 143a causes the rotary barrel163 to make half a rotation. Finally the ID code 127 outside thecassette 109 is read again, and is compared with data of the ID codeprerecorded with the photo film strip 111. It is thus possible toconfirm identity of the ID code between the photo film strip 111 and thecassette 109.

After the comparison of the data of the ID code, the photo film cassette110 is exited to the supply/exit section 142a. Similar operations arerepeated.

FIG. 38 illustrates another preferred embodiment in which the supportroller 173 is shifted linearly, not rotationally. Elements similar tothose of the former embodiments are designated with identical referencenumerals. A slide plate 200 is movable vertically by way of a guidemember, and is biased by a spring 203 in a direction for pressing a camfollower 201 against a cam plate 202. The cam plate 202 rotates in aclockwise direction about an eccentric shaft 202a. The cam plate 202 isso shaped that it shifts the support roller 173 from the start positionto the end position in the winding while the cam plate 202 makes half arotation. The support roller 173 is shiftable together with the backtension roller 174 toward the end position.

The length of the photo film strip 111 is different according to maximumnumber of available frames on it. The diameter of the roll of the photofilm strip 111 around a spool is thus different. The ridges 115 againstlooseness and formed for one fixed diameter of the roll are not suitablefor another roll of a different diameter inside the cassette 109. It isnecessary to change height of the ridges 115 or the diameter of thespool 112 according to the length of the photo film strip 111.

Unlike changes in the ridges 115, there is a problem in the changes inthe diameter of the spool 112. Specifically, it would be likely that thephoto film strip 111 at the start of the winding might be contacted onthe passageway 119 if the start position of the support roller 173 wereunchanged even with a changed diameter of the spool 112. A spool 210, ifsuitable for a photo film strip having a smaller length, has a greaterdiameter. The cam plate 202 is previously rotated by a small amount, soas to heighten the start position of the support roller 173 over theposition depicted in FIG. 38 with the solid lines. It is possible toprevent the photo film strip 111 from contacting the passageway 119 atthe start of the winding, because the start position of the supportroller 173 is varied with the changes in the diameter of the spool 112.Note that it is unnecessary to change the end position of the supportroller 173, because the spool 112 is so shaped that the maximum diameterof the roll of the photo film strip 111 is constant irrespective of thelength of the photo film strip 111.

In the embodiment as illustrated in FIG. 37, the support roller 173 ismoved with changes of the diameter of the roll. Alternatively thecassette 109 can be moved for the same purpose, as illustrated in FIG.39. In view of this, the cassette holders 164 and 165 are provided witha mechanism 213 for rotating the cassette 109. Elements similar to thoseof the former embodiments are designated with identical referencenumerals. The cassette 109 is rotated about a central point 211 of thetongue portions 107a and 108a in the counterclockwise direction, so asto keep the photo film strip 111 from contacting the passageway 119during the winding of the photo film strip 111. Reference numeral 212designates a stationary roller for supporting the trailer of the photofilm strip. Note that the spool 112 is depicted in FIGS. 38 and 39 insimplified fashion to avoid complexity in illustration. The shutterplate 114 is eliminated from FIG. 39.

As described above, the photo film cassette 110 itself is assembled in abright room. The only steps in a dark room are the retention of thetrailer 124 to the spool 112, and the winding of the photo film strip.Thus, photo film cassettes can be manufactured at the high efficiency of45 to 75 products per minutes.

It is possible in embodying the present invention to adopt constructionsin the following modes:

(1) A photo film loader apparatus wherein: the insert plate 177 isarcuate; the photo film strip 111 further includes an engaging hole 126formed in the trailer 124; further comprising plural capturing claws178, disposed at a distal end of the insert plate, engaged with theengaging hole in the trailer, for capturing the trailer, the pluralcapturing claws including distal ends having a length to be flush with,or projected from, the trailer of the photo film strip when capturingthe trailer.

(2) A photo film loader apparatus further comprising a tension roller175, disposed in the dark compartment 147, contacted on the photo filmstrip 111 upstream from the spool rotating device 171, for providing thephoto film strip with tension in capturing of the trailer 124 at theinsert plate 177.

In the mode (1), it is possible to prevent the trailer from being bentwhen contacted on the spool. Should a difficulty occur in course ofretention of the trailer, an operation for trailer retention can berestarted to enable the trailer to be engaged with the spool withreliability.

In the mode (2), it is possible to eliminate the curl in the trailer ofthe photo film strip. The trailer can be captured with the capturingclaws without fail.

Although the present invention has been fully described by way of thepreferred embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, various changes and modifications will be apparent to thosehaving skill in this field without departing from the scope of thepresent invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of loading a cassette with a photo filmstrip, said cassette having a photo film passageway through which aleader of said photo film strip is drawn out of a cassette shell, and aspool on which a trailer of said photo film strip is retained, saidloading method comprising steps of:providing a light-tight darkcompartment adapted to loading of said photo film strip; providing arotary barrel device partially fitted in an opening formed in adownstream wall of said dark compartment; disposing a plurality ofcassette holders on said barrel device in respective positions thatoppose each other with reference to a rotational axis of said barreldevice, for holding said cassettes removably, said barrel device beingrotatable to move said cassette holders into and out of said darkcompartment; supplying a cassette to one of said cassette holderslocated outside said dark compartment; rotating said rotary barreldevice to place said cassette inside said dark compartment; passing saidtrailer of said photo film strip into said photo film passageway in saidcassette in one of said cassette holders located inside said darkcompartment; retaining said trailer on said spool passed into said photofilm passageway; and rotating said spool of said cassette in said darkcompartment after retaining said trailer, for winding said photo filmstrip on said spool, to include said photo film strip into saidcassette.
 2. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising stepsof:monitoring a diameter of a roll of said photo film strip around saidspool in said dark compartment; and rotationally shifting said cassettein said dark compartment in accordance with said diameter of said rollas monitored so that an orientation of said photo film strip is changedrelative to said cassette while said photo film strip is wound on saidspool to thereby avoid rubbing said photo film strip on said cassetteshell.
 3. A photo film loading method as defined in claim 1, furthercomprising steps of:providing a plurality of said rotary barrel devices;transporting a plurality of said photo film strips through a supply pathone after another; providing a plurality of transport paths, saidtransport paths having entry slots opened radially; providing a rotarydisk between said supply path and said transport paths in rotatablefashion about a central axis; providing a stationary guide plate betweensaid supply path and said central axis of said rotary disk, a first pathbeing formed in said guide plate at a size associated with a thicknessof said photo film strip; guiding said photo film strip from said supplypath through said guide plate toward said central axis of said rotarydisk; mounting a delivery guide device on said rotary disk, and betweensaid central axis of said rotary disk and said transport paths, a secondpath being formed in said delivery guide device at a size associatedwith a thickness of said photo film strip; rotating said rotary disk;stopping said rotary disk sequentially to direct an exit slot of saiddelivery guide device toward a selected one of said entry slots of saidtransport paths; receiving said photo film strip from said stationaryguide plate in said delivery guide device in a vicinity of said centralaxis, to guide said photo film strip in a radial direction of saidrotary disk; and transporting said photo film strip through saiddelivery guide device into said selected one of said transport paths,through which said photo film strip is guided respectively to saidbarrel device.
 4. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprisingsteps of:providing a first linear path device through which a first pathis formed, and which is supplied with said photo film strip; connectinga second linear path device, through which a second path is formed,downstream of said first path device in inclination with respect to saidfirst path, at a sloping connecting portion, said photo film strip beingguided from said first path device toward said barrel device; anddisposing a nipping roller at said sloping connecting portion forconveying said photo film strip along said first and second path devicesto said barrel device; monitoring a diameter of a roll of said photofilm strip around said spool in said dark compartment; and changing acourse of said photo film strip in said dark compartment and upstreamfrom said cassette in accordance with said diameter of said roll asmonitored to thereby avoid rubbing said photo film strip on saidcassette shell while said photo film strip is wound on said spool;wherein said cassette has a structure for advancing said leader of saidphoto film strip to an outside of said photo film passageway when saidspool is rotated in a direction of unwinding said photo film strip;after said photo film strip is wound in said cassette, rotating saidspool in said unwinding direction to protrude a small portion of saidleader from said photo film passageway; measuring torque applied to saidspool while protruding said leader from said photo film passageway;subsequently rotating said spool in a winding direction to include saidleader in said cassette; measuring torque applied to said spool whileincluding said leader in said cassette; wherein said cassette furtherincludes an identifying information portion disposed on an outside ofsaid cassette shell and formed to represent identifying information ofsaid cassette shell; reading said identifying information of saidcassette held in said cassette holder; and imprinting an informationimage of a latent image form on said photo film strip in accordance withsaid identifying information as read.
 5. A method of assembling a photofilm cassette, wherein said cassette has a spool with a photo film stripretained thereon, a cassette shell for containing a roll of said photofilm strip, and an identifying information portion disposed on anoutside of said cassette shell formed to represent identifyinginformation of said cassette shell, said assembling method comprisingsteps of:holding said cassette with said trailer retained on said spool;reading said identifying information of said cassette during saidholding step; imprinting an information image of a latent image form onsaid photo film strip in accordance with said identifying information;and rotating said spool in said cassette after imprinting saidinformation image on said photo film strip, to wind said photo filmstrip on said spool.